Hermione in Ravenclaw
by RockSunner
Summary: Hermione said she was nearly sorted to Ravenclaw. In this AU fic, she was.
1. Sorted

Hermione said that she was nearly sorted to Ravenclaw. That calls out for an AU fic, so here we go. Disclaimer: none of the characters belong to me.  
  
Author note: I'm also working on "Home Free", but this idea was too good to pass up.   
  
Hermione in Ravenclaw  
  
Chaper 1 Sorted  
  
The Sorting Hat was placed over Hermione Granger's head. She heard its odd little voice in her mind, saying "Hmmm, brains in plenty, talent and courage too. I'd say either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw."  
  
"I've read that Gryffindor is the best, so I'd like that one, please," thought Hermione.  
  
"Are you sure? The brightest students are in Ravenclaw. Gryffindors and brave and bold, ready to break the rules at times..." the Hat said.  
  
"Break the RULES? I don't know about that," Hermione hesitated.  
  
"Then, to be safe, I'll say RAVENCLAW!" said the Hat.  
  
Hermione walked to the Ravenclaw table to cheers from the house members. She sat next to a pretty, dark-haired girl.  
  
"Hi, I'm Cho Chang," said the girl, with a welcoming smile.  
  
"Hi Cho, I'm Hermione."  
  
"I'm glad I'm in Ravenclaw, aren't you?" asked Mandy Brocklehurst, a new Ravenclaw who was sitting across the table from her.  
  
"Yes, I think I'll fit in best here," said Hermione. She pushed aside her regrets about what might have been.  
  
"Whew! I'm glad she's not a Gryffindor," Ron said to Harry. Harry nodded. 


	2. Settling In

Chapter 2 Settling In  
  
The new Ravenclaw recruits followed their prefect, Marietta Poppins, up a marble staircase, though a maze of passages, and up to a portrait of a huge frog wearing a crown and sitting on a throne.  
  
"Prince Rupert Bullroar," said Hermione. "I read about him in 'Historical Animagi'. He convinced a princess he was an enchanted prince who needed a kiss to be uncursed, and they ended up getting married. It was quite a romantic story."  
  
"Password," croaked Prince Rupert.  
  
"Differential Calculus," said Marietta.  
  
They passed through the cozy circular common room with a fireplace, sofas, and plenty of study desks around the sides. No one lingered there tonight, but went straight upstairs to their comfortable dorm rooms with four-poster beds.  
  
Hermione shared a room with Mandy Brocklehurst, Lisa Turpin, and Alice Nutter. Mandy was a redhead, a little overweight, but very self-confident. Lisa, with long dark hair, was more shy and analytical. Alice, with short blonde hair, was the most social and outgoing.  
  
"You know what I'd like to do?" said Hermione, "I'd like to start a study group. We could meet back here every evening after dinner and work together on homework."  
  
"That sounds like a great plan, 'Mione," said Mandy.  
  
"I don't know... there's more to life than homework," said Alice. "I want to get out and meet more people."  
  
"Boys, you mean?" said Mandy, giggling.  
  
Alice blushed.  
  
"We're young, there's time for that later. I'm for the study group. What if we call ourselves the Raven Mavens?" said Lisa.  
  
They talked a little longer about what the classes would be like, but it wasn't long before all were asleep. It had been a long day. 


	3. Classes

Hermione in Ravenclaw  
  
Chapter 3 Classes  
  
The school was buzzing with stories about the great Harry Potter and people kept pointing him out in the halls. Hermione had met him briefly on the train, but she didn't have much opportunity to talk with him these days because they weren't in any of the same classes.   
  
The only shared classes were double potions. Potion clases were two periods long because most potions took a long time to brew. Hermione and the other Raven Mavens shared a period with a group of Hufflepuffs on Thursdays. Professor Snape was cold and curt, but since he had no grudges against them he treated everyone fairly according to their competence. Hermione excelled in Potions and was on her way to becoming a favorite.  
  
Double potions on Friday was a different story. Snape obviously favored the Slytherins, and he clearly hated Harry Potter. He asked Harry three difficult questions in a row: about powdered root of asphodel, bezoars, and wolfsbane. Harry lost his patience.  
  
"How could anyone be expected to know all that before their first class?" Harry asked angrily.  
  
"For your information, Potter, Hermione Granger answered them all perfectly in my class yesterday," said Snape. "One point from Gryffindor for cheek."  
  
Hermione also did well in Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall told the Gryffindor class about how quickly she had been able to turn a matchstick into a needle.  
  
"I'm getting really tired of hearing about Hermione Granger," Harry told Ron. "What a teacher's pet." 


	4. Wizard's Duel

Hermione in Ravenclaw  
  
Chapter 4 Wizard's Duel  
  
One night at dinner, Hermione was talking to Mandy.  
  
"Flying lessons are coming up tomorrow, and I'm really worried. I read all I could, but I've never handled a magic broom," Hermione said.  
  
"There's nothing too it really. I've practiced at home with my brother's broom," said Mandy.  
  
"Did you hear about the boy who fell off his broom today and broke his wrist? He lost control and shot right up, then fell off. It's pretty scary," said Hermione.  
  
Just then, at the next table over, Hermione heard Draco Malfoy challenging Harry Potter to a Wizard's duel at midnight in the trophy room. After they had gone, she went over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Excuse me. It's none of my business, but I couldn't help overhearing that you're planning to go out late at night for a wizard's duel. You mustn't do it, because you're sure to get caught and lose points for your house."  
  
"You're right," said Harry coldly, "It's none of your business."  
  
"Good-bye," said Ron.  
  
Hermione stalked away. Let them get in trouble and lose points for Gryffindor if they wanted to. Why should she care?  
  
That night, Ron and Harry sneaked out the the Gryffindor tower and headed to the trophy room. On the way there, they met Neville Longbottom, who had forgotten the password and couldn't get back in. The Fat Lady had left her portrait, so they had to take him with them.  
  
The trophy cases glimmered in the moonlight. They nervously waited for Malfoy to show up.  
  
Then they heard a voice in the next room that made them jump. It was Filch!  
  
"Sniff around, Mrs. Norris. I know the little delinquents are hiding in here somewhere."  
  
"This way," whispered Harry to the others. They crept down a hallway lined with suits of armor. But then Neville tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist and the pair of them brought a suit of armor crashing down!  
  
"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the three of them sprinted down the gallery and then through one passage after another, ending up in their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.  
  
"I think we lost him," gasped Harry.  
  
Suddenly a doorknob rattled and Peeves the poltergeist popped into the room.  
  
"Aha, Ickle Firsties out at midnight! Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty!" said Peeves.  
  
"Don't give us away, Peeves," pleaded Harry.  
  
"I really should, for your own good," said Peeves.  
  
"Get out the the way," said Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves. That was a big mistake.  
  
"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" shouted Peeves, "DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR! STUDENTS OUT OF BED!"  
  
They ran again, down to the end of the corridor, where they ran into a locked door.  
  
"This is it!" Ron moaned. They tugged at the doorknob helplessly, but no one could think of a spell to open it. In desperation they pounded on the door, and suddenly there was a loud growling from inside, followed by a fierce barking that sounded like a pack of wild dogs.  
  
That was the last straw. Filch rushed to the source of the sound and found them.  
  
"AHA! Caught you delinquints. Out after curfew, messing with my trophy room, knocking down my armor, and now trying to get into the forbidden room! You're in for it now!" said Filch.  
  
Peeves had followed to see the fun. "Lucky you didn't get in there, Firsties, or you'd have been et all up by the big three-headed doggie that's guarding..."  
  
"Shut up, Peeves, that's a Hogwarts secret, that is!" snarled Filch. "I'll tell the Bloody Baron!" Peeves gasped and scooted away.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Neville were led straight to Mrs. McGonagall's study on the first floor. Harry was thinking, "I'm going to be expelled and sent back to the Dursley's. I wonder if they'd let me stay and work for Hagrid instead..."  
  
"I'm very disappointed in the three of you," said Professor McGonagall when she arrived. "What were you doing out after hours? Explain yourselves."  
  
It didn't seem to the boys like explaining about the wizard's duel would do anything but get them in worse trouble.  
  
"They were looking for me," Neville volunteered. "The shock of the flying lesson accident drove the password out of my mind. They found me, but the Fat Lady was out of her portrait and we couldn't get back in."  
  
"That doesn't explain why you were in the trophy room area," said McGonagall.  
  
"Um, since we couldn't get back in, I wanted to show off Charlie's Quiddich trophies to them, while we waited for the Fat Lady to come back," said Ron.  
  
"Please don't expell us," said Harry.  
  
"What you did was a serious violation of the rules, but it's not my policy to expell students for a first curfew offense," said McGonagall. "I'll give you all detentions, and take fifty points from Gryffindor."  
  
"Fifty points!" gasped Harry.  
  
"Fifty points each!" said Professor McGonnagall, "And since you are all so interested in the trophies, your detentions will be polishing them for Filch."  
  
The Gryffindors were very unhappy to find that they had lost 150 points overnight. Harry, Ron, and Neville had become the most hated people in the school. Hermione looked over at them from the Ravenclaw table with a superior "I told you so" glare.  
  
Malfoy was disappointed they weren't expelled, but he took great pleasure in mocking them to his friends in Slytherin.  
  
"It was a duel of wits, and I won," Malfoy smirked.  
  
Then he pretended to be Harry, saying "Where's the dool? Where's the dool?" while his friends fell over laughing.  
  
"One consolation," said Harry to Ron, "We learned where the mysterious package that was taken from Gringotts is being hidden. It's in that room, being guarded by a three-headed dog."  
  
A better consolation was the Nimbus Two Thousand Broomstick Harry received by owl post. Learning about Quiddich and practicing to be a Seeker took his mind off his troubles. If he helped win some games, maybe he could make up for losing so many points for Gryffindor. 


	5. Halloween and Quiddich

Chapter 5 Halloween and Quiddich  
  
On Halloween morning, Ron and Harry were in the hall between classes. Their whole class had failed miserably at the levitation spell, and they were treated to a story by Professor Flitwick of Hermione's great Wingardium Leviosa.  
  
When they saw Hermione in the hall, Ron decided to try to get back at her.  
  
"It's no wonder no one can stand Hermione Granger," he said loud enough for her to hear, "She's a nightmare, honestly."  
  
Hermione retorted, "I have plenty of friends in Ravenclaw, thank you. I don't need lessons in popularity from someone who helped lose 150 points for his house in one night."  
  
Ron retreated, abashed.  
  
The only other memorable incident that Halloween was that a troll got loose in the school. All the students stayed in their dormitories and the troll was quickly rounded up by Professor McGonagall, who transformed it into a gecko until it could be put back where it belonged. The students noticed Professor Snape limping the next day, which was odd because apparently he didn't have anything to do with fighting the troll.  
  
Harry was desperately trying to balance studies and Quiddich practice. He also tried to get a book from the library called "Quiddich through the Years," but Hermione had it checked out to learn flying tips.  
  
Snape found Harry one morning out on the cold Quiddich field trying to get in some reading before practice. Snape checked his book, but since it was a regular school book rather than a library book, Snape had to leave empty-handed.  
  
Hermione's friends in the Raven Mavens were eager to go to the first Quiddich match between Slytherin and Griffindor.  
  
"Come on, 'Mione," said Mandy Brocklehurst. "It'll be fun."  
  
"I have a lot of studying to do," said Hermione. "And I'm not all that interested in what Gryffindor does these days." The way Ron had talked about her still hurt a bit.  
  
The other three Mavens went on to the game and left Hermione to her studies. Less than an hour later they were back, in tears.  
  
"Harry Potter was in the game as a Seeker. In the middle of the game he lost control of his broom," reported Alice.  
  
"What happened to him?" gasped Hermione.  
  
"He fell!" said Mandy. "He would have died except the Weasley twins snatched at him on the way down and slowed the fall. He's in the Hospital Wing now with a broken back."  
  
"I'm sure someone was jinxing his broom," said Lisa. "It didn't act normally at all."  
  
"But who here could have jinxed him, and why?" said Hermione.  
  
"I checked out the crowd with binoculars and I saw two people who where staring at Harry without blinking: Professor Snape and Professor Quirrelll. One of them must have been jinxing him," said Lisa. "By the time I figured it out, it was too late to try to stop it."  
  
"I wish you had been there, 'Mione," said Alice. "You would have thought of something to do."  
  
"We'll do something now," said Hermione. "We'll get to the bottom of what's going on at this school that would cause a professor to try to kill a student. Are you with me?"  
  
"Yes!" said the other Raven Mavens together. 


	6. Hospital Visit

Hermione in Ravenclaw  
  
Chapter 6 Hospital Visit  
  
The next day, Hermione went to the hospital wing in hopes of talking with Harry. Mandy and Alice were going to talk to Ron and Neville, and Lisa volunteered to look for background information about the two suspect professors.  
  
Hermione knocked a the door of the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey refused to let her in.  
  
"Absolutely no visitors allowed, on Professor Dumbledore's orders," she said. "Though I don't blame you for trying. I've had to turn away a dozen people already today. If you want to leave a get-well card, there's a tray out there in the hall. I'll take it in to him in a few minutes."  
  
Hermione found the tray, which was piled with cards and notes. The accident seemed to have won Harry a lot of sympathy. She looked through them quickly to see if there were any clues.  
  
"Take care, mate. I'm sorry for what I said about the points," from Seamus.  
  
"Get well soon, and GET BACK TO QUIDDICH," from Oliver Wood.  
  
"What a klutz! Give up Quiddich before you kill yourself" from Draco Malfoy. Maybe they weren't all sympathy cards after all.  
  
The next card she picked up had no words and no signature, only an odd twirling violet pattern. It made Hermione feel dizzy and nauseus; in an instant she had collapsed to her knees.  
  
Professor Snape came rushing up. Saying, "I'll take care of that," he snatched the card, slammed it shut without looking into it, and tapped it with his wand. It vanished in a puff of blood-red smoke.  
  
He knocked on the door of the hospital wing. When Madam Pomfrey opened the door, he told her, "Have a look at Miss Granger. She was affected by a get-ill card, probably a prank by one of Potter's many ill-wishers."  
  
Hermione was still too dizzy from the effects of the card to ask him any questions.  
  
"Come in and lie down, dear," said Madame Pomfrey, "I'll brew you an herb tea. Camomile, peppermint, and special ingredients to ward off curses."  
  
Once Hermione was left alone in the ward, she looked up and saw Harry three beds down on the other side of the room. She decided she had to seize the chance to talk with him. She went over, even though the room seemed to keeep spinning around her.  
  
"Harry, I'm Hermione Granger. Remember, from the train? How are you?"  
  
Harry opened his eyes and spoke weakly. "N-not too bad. The broken bones they fixed, but it's taking time to fix the nerves in my spine."  
  
Harry was surprised and a bit touched by the visit. He'd never thought of her as a friend.  
  
I've got something important to tell you, and to ask you," she said. "My room-mates saw the game and they think your broom was jinxed by someone."  
  
"What about the game? Was it called off?" Harry asked.  
  
"You won! Somehow you caught the Snitch in your mouth right before you fell," said Hermione.  
  
Harry smiled, "That's something, anyway."  
  
"There's not much time. Madam Pomfrey may be back any second. My friends saw Professor Quirrell and Professor Snape staring at you. Either could have been jinxing your broom."  
  
"It must have been Snape! He hates me. I don't know why, except he hated my father."  
  
"We mustn't jump to conclusions. Professor Snape just saved me from a get-ill card meant for you."  
  
"A get-ill card?" asked Harry.  
  
"I've read about them. They have a curse to make you sicker, especially if you're already sick. It was in a pile of cards meant for you. I picked it up instead and got pretty sick, but Professor Snape grabbed it away and destroyed it," said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah, and maybe he was lurking around waiting to destroy the evidence in case something like that happened," said Harry.  
  
"Possibly," mused Hermione. "Anyway, my friends and I want to help you. We'll look into things while you're laid up."  
  
"NO!" said Harry. "I don't want other people in danger because of me." He was irritated now. Hermione and a bunch of other nosy Ravenclaws just wanted to play detective. He could take care of himself without them.  
  
Hermione wanted to argue with him, but there was no more time. She heard Madam Pomfrey's approaching footsteps and dashed back to her bed a little dizzy and out of breath. She wished she had had more time to ask Harry questions, and now it looked like he wouldn't tell her any more. She hoped Alice and Lisa had done better with Ron and Neville. 


	7. Evidence

Hermione in Ravenclaw  
  
Chapter 7 Evidence  
  
Alice approached Ron at lunch, while Mandy went to talk with Neville. Both the boys had been getting a lot of attention from people who were curious or sympathetic about Harry's Quiddich accident, so it didn't seem unusual them at all.  
  
Mandy told Neville, "I don't care what other people say about it. I think it was very brave of you to go exploring late at night like you did."  
  
Neville blushed, flattered. "It was nothing, really."  
  
"There were rumors going around that Filch set a pack of dogs on you," said Mandy. "Someone heard them barking."  
  
"No, Filch just chased us. Then we ran into Peeves, and Peeves started shouting, so we ran to this locked door. When we pounded on the door, that's when the dogs started barking, or one dog. Peeves said it was a three-headed dog guarding something."  
  
"Peeves would say anything, though," said Mandy doubtfully.  
  
"Yes, but Filch cut him off and said it was a Hogwarts secret, so I think it was true," Neville replied.  
  
"Do you think it could be a big enough secret for someone to be after the three of you for it?" asked Mandy. "There were some suspicious circumstances in that Quiddich accident."  
  
"I hope not," said Neville nervously.  
  
Meanwhile, Alice was talking to Ron.  
  
"I'm convinced someone at the Quiddich match was jinxing Harry Potter's broom," she said. "The way it was jumping around wasn't normal."  
  
"That's just what I thought!" said Ron. "Hagrid said dark magic can disrupt even a Nimbus 2000. "  
  
"Hagrid?" asked Alice.  
  
"The groundskeeper. Harry and I are friends of his, and I was sitting next to him during the game."  
  
"But who would want to kill Harry?"  
  
"Professor Snape hates him. He's always sniping at him in class. Snape is into the Dark Arts, too. They say he wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, but they won't let him do anything but Potions."  
  
"Anyone else who might have done it? What about Quirrell? He actually teaches the class."  
  
"No way, he's harmless and he seems to like Harry. I can't think of anyone who would do it other than Snape," said Ron.  
  
"Just not liking someone's not a motive for murder," said Alice.  
  
"There could be more to it. Harry figured out that the forbidden room is where they're hiding the package that was nearly stolen from Gringotts Bank. Something really valuable. If Snape was trying to steal it, and thought Harry was snooping, maybe..." said Ron.  
  
Hermione, Mandy, Alice, and Lisa met after classes to compare notes.  
  
"I've found something on Professor Snape. He was once accused of being a follower of You-Know-Who, one of the Death Eaters, but he got off somehow," said Lisa.  
  
"In a way that's in his favor," said Hermione. "Knowing the worst about him, Professor Dumbledore still hired him. Anything on Professor Quirrell?"  
  
"Not really, but since I'm interested in becoming a Healer I've been looking at medicine books, and I ran across this one in the library," said Lisa.  
  
She showed the book: "A Healer's Handbook of Medical Malingering," by Hippo Kondriach.  
  
"There's a paragraph on faking being hit with a stuttering curse. It really fits the way Professor Quirrell talks. He stutters on a lot of different sounds and it's not consistent at all. I think he's pretending, " said Lisa. "Also, that faint he did when he said the troll had escaped at Halloween looked like a classic fake faint, like it describes here on page 163."  
  
"According to Ron Weasley, he's harmless, and he likes Harry," said Mandy.  
  
"Someone intending to kill is more likely to hide his motives," said Lisa.  
  
"What motive could there be?" asked Hermione.  
  
"There's the package in the forbidden room Ron told me about," said Alice.  
  
"That fits with the Hogwarts secret being guarded by a three-headed dog that Neville told me about," said Mandy.  
  
"That could be a motive, but why Harry?" said Hermione.  
  
"He's the Boy Who Lived, isn't he? Someone working for You-Know-Who might want to kill him just for that, not just for getting close to the secret room," said Mandy.  
  
"To sum up our evidence, we have Snape: interested in the Dark Arts, accused of being a Death Eater, openly hateful to Harry, and suspiciously close at hand to destroy the get-ill card. On the other hand we have Quirrell, who fakes his stutters and faints," said Hermione. "The weight of the evidence seems to be against Snape, but we'd still better keep an eye on both of them." 


	8. Hagrid

Chapter 8  
  
Hagrid  
  
"There's one more person we need to talk to," said Alice. "The friend of Harry's Ron told me about -- Hagrid the groundskeeper."  
  
"Do we have to?" said Lisa. "I heard he was expelled from Hogwarts a long time ago in some sort of scandal. He just barely kept out of Azkaban, they say."  
  
"All the more reason we need to talk to him," insisted Hermione. "If he was mixed up in scandals in the old days, he might know something now. I'd better be the one to do it. I saw Harry in the hospital and that gives me an opening."  
  
Hermione didn't feel quite so brave as she approached the run-down wooden house on the edge of the Forbidden forest, especially when a large dog started barking inside. She was more of a cat person, anyway.  
  
"Back Fang, back!" boomed a voice from inside. The door opened, and the sight of the enormous black-bearded man barely holding back a huge boarhound nearly made her turn and run. But then she noticed the dog was wagging its tail, and decided it wasn't as fierce as it looked. Maybe Hagrid wasn't either.  
  
"Well, what yeh want, missy?"  
  
"Mr. Hagrid, I'm Hermione Granger, a friend of Harry Potter's, and I heard you are, too," said Hermione. "I'm worried about him. I think someone's out to get him."  
  
"An' what makes yeh think that?" asked Hadrid.  
  
"It's not just the Quiddich accident. Someone sent him a get-ill card while he was in the hospital. I visited him and picked it up before he saw it. It made me really sick. If was powerful enought to do that to me, what would it have done to Harry when he was in a weakened condition?"  
  
"I hadn't heered about that. Best come in an' talk," Hagrid invited.  
  
Hermione took a seat at the kitchen table. Fang came over and nuzzled her ear.  
  
"I've been worryin' about that accident," Hagrid said. "I dunno how it could've happened. Harry's a natural born flyer, an' the Nimbus 2000's a top-o-the-line broomstick."  
  
"I suspect someone in the crowd was jinxing it," said Hermione.  
  
"That'd take powerful Dark Magic. No kid coulda done it," said Hagrid dubiously.  
  
"It would also take Dark Magic to make a get-ill card that strong, wouldn't it?" said Hermione. "And Hogwarts has two adult wizard experts in the Dark Arts -- Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell."  
  
"Rubbish," said Hagrid. "Neither of 'em would do somethin' like that. Why would they?"  
  
"One of them might if he thought Harry knew too much about the three-headed dog that's guarding a room on the third flooor," said Hermione abruptly, hoping to startle Hagrid into dropping some information. It worked.  
  
"How do yeh know about Fluffy?" Hagrid demanded.  
  
"Fluffy?"  
  
"Yeah -- Fluffy's my dog. I bought him off a Greek chappie I met in a pub las' year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the --" He cut off abruptly. "I shouldn't oughta said that. That's top secret, that is."  
  
"The package from Gringotts that Harry told Ron about?"  
  
"Now see here, missey. I can't have this gettin' all over the school. That package is between Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel -- I shouldn't oughta said that. Now be off with yeh, and don't meddle in things that don't concern yeh."  
  
Hermione left, satisfied to have a new lead. But who was Nicolas Flamel? 


	9. Vacation and Information

Hermione in Ravenclaw  
  
Chapter 9 Vacation and Information  
  
To Hermione's great disappointment, all of the Raven Mavens had Christmas vacation plans with their families that could not be canceled. She sent several owls with messages begging her parents to let her stay for the holidays but they wouldn't let her.  
  
She hoped that Professor Dumbledore would keep a good watch on Harry and prevent any further attacks like the get-ill card.  
  
The Mavens dug through book after book at the school library, but no-one turned up anything on the name in the Famous Magicians section.  
  
When Hermione got home she decided to try a computer search first thing. Muggle computers didn't have much accurate information about the wizard world but at least they could be searched faster than stacks of old volumes. What she found was a document on "Nicholas Flamel: The Immortal French Alchemist" which mentioned his name in connection with the Philosopher's Stone. She could hardly wait to get back to the library at Hogwarts to get the real facts about Flamel and the Stone. It almost spoiled her whole vacation.  
  
Harry was finally released from the Hospital Wing.  
  
"I would strongly caution you against playing Quiddich for the rest of the season, that is, I would if I thought you would listen to me," Madam Pomfrey said.  
  
"I can't let the team down," said Harry.  
  
"You'll still have some back pain for a while. Take it easy or it may become chronic."  
  
Harry used the Cloak of Invisibility he received as a Christmas present to do some exploring in obscure parts of the castle. It took his mind off his back, especially when he discovered the Mirror of Erised. He went there again and again to see his parents until Dumbledore warned him of the addictive nature of the dreams the Mirror showed.  
  
When the Hermione got back she went to the Alchemy section immediately and found a book about Flamel. She showed it to the other Mavens.  
  
"He created Philospher's Stone which would enable a person to transmute other metals into gold and to make an Elixer of Life, a potion of youth that could keep a person alive forever," said Hermione.  
  
"That has to be the valuable object that's being guarded at Hogwarts!" said Mandy.  
  
"If a follower of You-Know-Who got hold of that, no telling what harm they could do!" said Lisa.  
  
"It's vital that we keep an eye on Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell," said Hermione. "We need to know which one is after the Stone."  
  
They divided up the task of tailing the two professors, trading off so that the men wouldn't notice the same person following them all the time.  
  
A few days later, Alice noticed Professor Quirrell ducking into an empty classroom. She sneaked in through another door and hid behind a desk.  
  
Quirrell seemed to be in pain, and he was talking to himself.  
  
"Don't hurt me any more, Master! I'll get the Stone for you. It takes time to find out how to get through the traps. You will live again, Lord Voldemort!" said Quirrell.  
  
Alice got out quietly, and made a note of his exact words to show the others. The next class was Potions. She had to rush down to the dungeons and she was nearly late. Homework had to be handed in on arrival to class. She tossed the homework papers onto the stack and took her seat quickly.  
  
That night Professor Snape was grading papers when he found the note. Alice had accidently mixed it in with the other papers.  
  
"Interesting," he said to himself. "Very interesting." 


	10. Flitwick

Chapter 10 Flitwick  
  
Alice told the Mavens that night about what she'd heard Quirrell say. She looked all through her papers for the missing note.  
  
"What if it gets back to Quirrell somehow?" Alice worried. "I'll be done for."  
  
The next day the Mavens went to the office of Professor Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw. His desk was scaled to his diminutive size, but it was set on top of a table so that he could speak to visitors at eye level. Steps led up to the table top from the back side.  
  
"Well, well," he said cheerfully. "What can I do for you young ladies?"  
  
"I have something to report about Professor Quirrell, Sir," said Alice. "I heard him talking to himself yesterday, and what he said was really scary. It was like he was possessed by the ghost of You Know Who."  
  
"Who?" said Flitwick.  
  
"V-He Who Must Not Be Named," said Alice. He said 'Please don't hurt me, Master. I'll get the Stone for you. It takes time to get through the traps. You will live again, Lord...' and then he said the name."  
  
"What name?" said Flitwick.  
  
"The name of He Who Must Not Be Named!" said Alice in frustration.  
  
"Well, you know that Professor Quirrell has had some hard experiences in his life, such as fighting vampires in Romania. You must make allowances if he gets little fancies sometimes," said Flitwick.  
  
"It's not just a fancy. He really wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone!" said Mandy.  
  
"Wait a moment. How do you know it's the Philosopher's Stone?" asked Flitwick sharply.  
  
Hermione jumped in to cover for the slip, "That's what Alice told us before, Professor Quirrell said 'the Philosopher's Stone'. She just forgot to say it this time."  
  
"Hmmmm. I can understand why he might have such a thing on his mind. It's been a concern to many of us on the staff," said Flitwick.  
  
"You mean the Philosopher's Stone is really here?" asked Lisa.  
  
"That's a school secret, but now that you've heard about it I might as well tell you to avoid wild rumors. It was moved here for safe-keeping. Don't worry, it's perfectly safe."  
  
"But what if Professor Quirrell meant what he said?"  
  
"There are several traps, each set by one of the instructors here, to prevent anyone getting the Stone," said Flitwick. "They were created by me, Professor Sprout, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Professor Quirrell, and Professor Dumbledore. Oh yes, and one by Mr. Hagrid."  
  
"So you're quite sure it's safe," said Hermione.  
  
"Even if Professor Quirrell or someone else got the wild idea of stealing it, they would have to get through the traps of all the other teachers. That explains why Professor Quirrell has traps and the Stone on his mind. But it's nothing for you to worry about."  
  
They were about to leave disappointed, when he called them back.  
  
"One more thing. I must ask you to promise not to tell anyone else. This is top secret; rumors will only threaten the security of the Stone, not to mention the reputation of Professor Quirrell. If I hear that you've told anyone about this, I'll be forced to take one point from Ravenclaw."  
  
He was not in the habit of punishing infractions with large penalties because Ravenclaws were normally very rule-conscious. The Mavens, especially Hermione, took the loss of even one point very seriously.  
  
"He didn't listen to us. What are we going to do now?" asked Hermione after they left the office. 


	11. Warned

Chapter 11 Warned  
  
The Mavens decided one other person had the right to know what they had found out: Harry Potter. After all, his life was at stake.  
  
Hermione talked with Harry after dinner and told him what Alice had heard. That lead to telling him about everything else they had discovered.  
  
"So Quirrell is after the Philosopher's Stone, and if he gets it he'll somehow bring Vol- I mean, He Who Must Not Be Named, back to life?"  
  
"Professor Flitwick says he just gets 'fancies' sometimes, but I don't believe that for a second," said Hermione. "Anyway, he tried to kill you, so you had to know to protect yourself."  
  
"Thanks. I'll take it from here," Harry said.  
  
"Oh, we'll continue investigating, too," said Hermione.  
  
"I'd rather you didn't," said Harry coldly. He didn't want a gang of girls getting in trouble for his sake.  
  
"Of all the ungrateful..." Hermione went off in a huff.  
  
At Quiddich practice, Oliver Wood told them that Snape would be the referee in their next game with Hufflepuff. He was primarily concerned that Snape would favor Hufflepuff so Gryffindor wouldn't overtake Slytherin. Ron was was more concerned for Harry's safety.  
  
"You'd better not play," said Ron. "Say your back isn't fully recovered yet."  
  
"I'm not worried about Snape any more," said Harry. "It's Quirrell I have to watch out for."  
  
Harry was telling Ron the whole story in the Gryffindor common room when Neville fell into the room. Malfoy had practiced the Leg-Locker Curse on him and his legs were stuck together. After they found Percy and got him to perform the countercurse, Harry and Ron comforted Neville.  
  
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," said Harry. He gave Neville a Chocolate Frog.  
  
"I'm going to learn the Leg-Locker Curse myself, and get Malfoy back for this," said Ron.  
  
On the day of the match, Dumbledore was there in person, so Harry knew he had nothing to fear from Quirrell. Harry won the game very quickly, catching the Snitch faster than anybody could remember. Griffindor was now pulling up to Slytherin despite the early 150-point loss.  
  
Harry was putting his Nimbus Two Thousand back in the broomshed when he saw Quirrell walking quickly towards the forbidden forest with Snape following close behind. He quickly jumped back on the broomstick and followed. He landed in a tall beech tree near them, and crawled out on a branch to listen. Quirrell was stuttering worse than ever, but Harry now knew it was an act.  
  
"...d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet me here of all p-places, Severus."  
  
"It's a good idea to discuss the Philosopher's Stone in private," said Snape coldly. "The students aren't supposed to know about it."  
  
Quirrell mumbled something.  
  
"Have you found a way around that dog of Hagrid's yet?"  
  
"B-but Severus,.."  
  
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape. He rolled up his sleeves and came forward.  
  
"I d-don't know what you mean."  
  
Snape leaned one arm against the tree Quirrell was backed up against.  
  
"You know exactly what I mean," he said.  
  
An owl hooted loudly just then, and Harry nearly fell from the branch. He steadied himself in time to hear, "your bit of hocus-pocus," from Snape.  
  
"B-but" said Quirrell.  
  
"You'd better take my advice, and quickly. I'll know where your loyalties really lie if you don't mend your ways," said Snape.  
  
He put his hood up and strode away, saying, "We'll chat again soon."  
  
Back in Gryffindor tower there was a party celebrating the Quiddich victory.  
  
"We won, we won!" shouted Ron. "And I got in a fight with Malfoy and gave him a black eye. Neville got in a fight with Crabbe and Goyle. Madame Pomfrey says he'll be conscious soon."  
  
"Never mind," said Harry. "Listen to what I just heard." He told Ron about the conversation.  
  
"Snape is onto Quirrell, and he was threatening him to stop him going after the Stone," said Harry. "The Stone will be safe as long as Quirrell doesn't stand up to Snape."  
  
"Then it'll be safe forever," said Ron.  
  
"I'm not so sure," said Harry. "Quirrell's timid routine is just an act. He pulled off an attempted bank heist at Gringotts without getting caught. And he's working for Voldemort himself!"  
  
"Please don't say that name!" said Ron. 


	12. Dragon's Egg

Chapter 12 - Dragon's Egg  
  
All through the next week Harry and Ron took every opportunity to walk by the forbidden door. As long as Fluffy was still growling inside they knew Quirrell had not made his move yet. Hermione and the other Raven Mavens were also on watch.  
  
One afternoon Harry and Ron were studying in the library when Hagrid shuffled past, hiding something behind his back.  
  
"Jus' lookin'" Hagrid said in a shifty voice that immediately made them suspicious. "See yeh later."  
  
Ron went back to look at the section Hagrid had come from.  
  
"Dragons!" he said. "Hagrid's been looking at books like 'From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keepers Guide'."  
  
"Nothing wrong with that," said Harry. "Hagrid's always wanted one."  
  
"But it's illegal to raise dragons," said Ron. "They're really dangerous and they can't be tamed."  
  
They decided to pay Hagrid a visit right away. Hagrid was tending a blazing fire, and in it was a large black egg.  
  
"Hagrid, where did you get that?" asked Ron.  
  
"I won it last night in the village, in a game 'o cards with a stranger."  
  
Harry was instantly alert because he knew about Quirrell's ability to put on an act.  
  
"What did the stranger look like?" Harry asked.  
  
"Dunno," said Hagrid. "He wouldn't take his hood off."  
  
"Didn't that seem strange to you?" asked Ron.  
  
"Naah, yeh get a lot of dicey characters in that pub. Mebbe he was a dragon dealer. He said he was glad teh have the egg go to someone who knew his way 'round dangerous animals."  
  
"How did he know you work with animals?" said Harry.  
  
"I told him about my work as gamekeeper here. I said to him, after takin' care o' Fluffy, a dragon would be a cinch."  
  
"Was he interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked evenly.  
  
"Yeah, three-headed dogs are rare. So I told him, yeh just have to know how to handle 'em. Yeh jus' play him a bit 'o music and he goes straight off ter sleep -- I shouldn't oughta said that."  
  
On the way back, Harry said, "We've got to warn Professor Dumbledore right away. There's nothing stopping Quirrell from going for the Stone!"  
  
It wasn't easy to find Professor Dumbledore's office. Finally they had to ask Professor McGonnagal.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic. He left ten minutes ago," she said.  
  
"But it's important!" Ron said.  
  
"More important than the Ministry of Magic? I hardly think so."  
  
"The Philosopher's Stone is about to be stolen by Qu-, by someone," said Harry.  
  
"You shouldn't have known about it, but rest assured the Stone is safe. Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. You can speak with him then, and also explain to him how it is that you know about a Hogwarts secret." McGonnagal walked briskly away.  
  
Harry and Ron continued discussing what to do that night at dinner in half-whispers.  
  
"I bet Quirrell faked that message and he'll go after the Stone tonight! We know what he wants it for -- to bring Voldemort back to life."  
  
Ron jumped. "Will you stop saying that!?"  
  
"I'm going in there and getting the Stone before he does," said Harry.  
  
"That's crazy," said Ron. "If you're caught you'll be expelled."  
  
"So WHAT!" said Harry, raising his voice. "If Voldemort comes back, there'll only be a pile of rubble to be expelled from. Not to mention he'll kill me like he killed my parents. I've got to go in there."  
  
"Then I'm going with you," said Ron.  
  
"Pardon me," said Hermione, who had come over from the Ravenclaw table. "I couldn't help overhearing..."  
  
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS," said Harry and Ron together.  
  
Hermione went back to her table and told her friends what she had heard.  
  
"What are we going to do?" said Alice.  
  
"The teachers don't take the threat seriously," said Hermione. "We've got to go there tonight and catch Quirrell in the act. We can also head off Harry and Ron before they go in and get themselves killed by the traps or by Quirrell."  
  
"What if we're caught?" said Lisa. "We could get expelled."  
  
"Not for a first offense," said Mandy.  
  
"They won't expel us. Our grades are too good," said Hermione. 


	13. Through the Trapdoor

Chapter 13 - Through the Trapdoor  
  
Hermione, Mandy, Alice, and Lisa crept carefully down the hall near the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. They took up positions where they could watch the door without being seen by the Fat Lady.  
  
"Ready, everyone?" whispered Hermione. "When they come out, we'll give them both a full Body-Bind spell. They'll be furious with us later but it will save them from killing themselves in the traps."  
  
"Then we go into the forbidden room ourselves?" said Mandy. "That doesn't make sense."  
  
"Not in. If it looks like Quirrell has gotten in we'll raise the alarm and catch him in the act!" said Hermione.  
  
Inside, Harry and Ron faced another obstacle: Neville. He popped up from behind an armchair, clutching his toad Trevor, which had been trying to escape again.  
  
"You're going out, aren't you?" he demanded. "You'll be caught again and lose even more points for Gryffindor."  
  
"You don't understand. This is important," said Harry.  
  
"I won't let you do it. I'll -- I'll fight you!"  
  
"Neville," said Ron. "Do you remember when I learned that Leg-Locker curse so I could get back at Malfoy for using it on you?"  
  
"Yes. So?"  
  
"Locomotor Mortis!" said Ron, pointing his wand at Neville.  
  
Then they both rushed him and tied him up with belts from bathrobes that had been left around the room. Harry stuffed a handkerchief as a gag into Neville's mouth.  
  
"Sorry, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.  
  
Outside, the Mavens saw the Gryffindor door open and then close again. None of them had any idea that Harry owned an Invisibility Cloak. They remained waiting for someone to come out while Harry and Ron stole past them.  
  
"Those nosy Ravenclaws were trying to stop us, I bet," said Ron in a whisper once they were out of earshot.  
  
With only two under the cloak they could travel rapidly, and they made good time to the forbidden room on the third floor. The door was already ajar.  
  
"Quirrel's already past Fluffy," said Harry.  
  
There was music coming from the room; inside they saw a harp that had been enchanted to play. Fluffy was sound asleep beside it. Harry had brought a flute along but it looked like they wouldn't need it. They slipped out of the cloak, crept softly to the trapdoor, and opened it.  
  
"It's pitch dark in there," whispered Ron. "I don't know how deep it goes. We'll just have to drop."  
  
Since the dog being kept asleep for them, Harry had time to think for a second. "We can get torches from the wall and drop them in first. I'd like to see what I'm jumping into."  
  
"Good idea," said Ron.  
  
They got two torches each from the walls outside the room and dropped them down. The fire revealed a moving mass of plant tendrils, which recoiled from the flames. They dropped down unto the plants, then had to snatch up the torches to beat off the strangling vines. They emerged, panting, into the stone corridor that led from the room.  
  
Meanwhile, Hermione and the others were tired of waiting for them to come out of Gryffindor Tower.  
  
"I think they aren't coming," said Hermione. "We'd better get to the third-floor corridor if we want to catch Quirrell."  
  
They sneaked along secret passages Lisa had found in an old book, very carefully to avoid being caught, and arrived at the third floor corridor to find the door ajar and Fluffy still asleep to the music from the harp. Hermione picked up the Invisibility Cloak.  
  
"Oh no!" she said, "That's how they got past us. Harry and Ron are down there. We have to go after them!"  
  
"What? Why not just go for help?" said Mandy.  
  
"Every second counts. They could be injured or dying down there!" said Hermione.  
  
"So could we, in a few minutes," muttered Mandy. But she reluctantly accepted the leadership of Hermione, who was bold as a Gryffindor.  
  
Abruptly the music stopped playing and Fluffy woke up with a snarl. Alice thought fast, dived for the harp, and began playing. Fluffy went back to sleep as soon as he heard music.  
  
"I'll keep playing while you go down and look," Alice said. "Don't take too long. I've had a few harp lessons but the only thing I remember is 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. I hope Fluffy doesn't get bored with it and w-wake up!"  
  
In the dying light of the torches the boys had dropped the Mavens saw the plants.  
  
"That's Devil's Snare!" said Hermione. "Look, it doesn't like the flames. I know a blue-fire spell."  
  
"I know that one, too," said Lisa. With the two of them casting it they were able to get through the Devil's Snare trap fairly easily.  
  
The next room, with the flying keys, was more of a problem. "The key we want has been caught twice, first by Quirrell and then by the boys. It's the one with the damaged wings," said Hermione.  
  
"I've had a lot of practice flying, so I'll get it," said Mandy.  
  
It still wasn't easy, but she wore the key down by chasing it around and finally caught it. They unlocked the door and entered the room with the giant chess pieces. They saw broken pieces of chessmen everywhere, and Ron lying injured on the other side of the room. They were about to start across when Ron called out to them.  
  
"Don't step on the board! They'll attack anyone that's not playing a piece in the game," said Ron.  
  
"Are you all right?" called Hermione.  
  
"I sacrificed my knight so Harry could checkmate and get through," said Ron. "My head hurts real bad but I think I'm in one piece."  
  
Hermione called to the chess pieces, "Is it permitted to clear a taken piece? I won't step on the board."  
  
One of the remaining black pawns nodded, so Hermione used a levitation spell to gently lift Ron from the board and bring him to their side.  
  
"Mandy, since you're a good flyer, why don't you get a broomstick from the other room and fly with Ron to get medical attention," said Hermione.  
  
"I'll be glad to be out of this place," said Mandy. "Are you sure you and Lisa will be all right, 'Mione?"  
  
"Sure we will," said Lisa. "I'm pretty good at chess and I have an idea. Ron, what was your last move?"  
  
"Bishop from c1 to e3, checkmate," said Ron. "How can you do anything? The game's over and neither of you were pieces in the game."  
  
"Black withdraws the last move and plays pawn to a4 instead," called Lisa to the game pieces. "I'm replacing the bishop from c1 that has fallen off the board." She walked out onto the field and the pieces didn't challenge her, so she moved to where Harry had been before his last move.  
  
"Mandy, go ahead and take Ron. We've got it under control," said Hermione.  
  
Mandy got a broomstick, placed Ron on it in front of her, and took off.  
  
A white pawn moved. "I was afraid of that," said Lisa. "Now the king has an escape square and I can't checkmate him any more. The best I can do is perpetual check. We've lost too many pieces to risk anything else."  
  
"But now you're stuck, and I still can't get across," said Hermione.  
  
"If the pieces are bound by the rules of chess, there's still a way. No piece can move while the king's in check, unless it gets him out of check. So the next time I say check...."  
  
"I understand," said Hermione.  
  
Lisa moved diagonally. "Check!"  
  
Hermione dashed across in the moment the king was moving out of check. As the White pieces turned to attack the intruder, Lisa moved again. "Check!"  
  
"Go help Harry," Lisa called. "I'll keep them occupied. Check!"  
  
Hermione rushed through the next room, glad to find the troll that occupied it was knocked out.  
  
"I expect Quirrell did that," she thought. "I can't imagine a first-year taking on a full-grown mountain troll."  
  
The next doorway was blocked by fiercely burning purple flames. Hermione couldn't get through. She was stuck.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall of flame, Harry had been reading the puzzle for the potions over and over. He wasn't very good at logic puzzles. Left, right, big, small, twins.... he was all mixed up. Finally he thought he had solved it. He picked up a potion and was about to drink it.  
  
"Harry, are you in there? Are you hurt?" Hermione called.  
  
Harry jumped, and the bottle dropped to the floor and shattered. "Hermione? What are you doing here?"  
  
"We came to help you. What's happening in there? I can't see through the flame."  
  
"There's fire in the other doorway too. I can't get out unless I find the right potion. There's a riddle here that says what's what, but it's hard to figure out."  
  
"Tell it to me. Maybe I can help."  
  
Harry recited the poem.  
  
"All right, now describe the row of bottles. Which one is biggest and which smallest?"  
  
Harry told her.  
  
"Give me a minute," she said, and a little later, "Got it! The smallest will get you through the other door, towards the stone. The one on the right end will get you back."  
  
"I'm going on," said Harry. "I have to stop him bringing Voldemort back."  
  
"I knew you'd say that," Hermione said. "Go ahead, but be careful."  
  
"I thought you'd try to talk me out of it," said Harry. "Weren't you and your friends waiting to stop us in the hall tonight?"  
  
"We were, but now that I've seen how brave you and Ron were, facing all this... You're a great wizard, Harry Potter."  
  
"You faced it, too."  
  
"Well maybe, but we're not in your league. You're a hero. We're just clever student who got lucky. Oh Harry, please be careful."  
  
Harry started to go, then turned back to her.  
  
"By the way, what was the middle potion?" Harry asked.  
  
"Poison," said Hermione.  
  
Harry shuddered. He drank from the smallest bottle and stepped forward into the flames. Just as he did, the flames in both doorways suddenly went out.   
  
Harry ran forward. Hermione heard him gasp.  
  
"You!" 


	14. The Two Faces

Chapter 14 -- The Two Faces  
  
"You!" gasped Harry.  
  
It wasn't just Quirrell. It wasn't just Snape. It was both of them.  
  
"Yes, it's me," said Quirrell with an evil smile. "You probably suspected Severus here. He looks the part, doesn't he? Next to him, who would suspect p-poor s-stuttering P-professor Quirrell?"  
  
"I suspected you and not him," said Harry, pointing at Quirrell.  
  
"How very clever of you," said Snape. "But still wrong."  
  
Quirrell conjured cords from thin air that bound themselves around Harry.  
  
"You both tried kill me during the Quiddich game!" said Harry.  
  
"No, no, no. _I_ tried to kill you, and it would have worked if Snape's counterspell hadn't given your team-mates time to break your fall," said Quirrell.  
  
"As I told Adrian later, I thought the death of a student would provoke an investigation I couldn't handle. It wasn't that I wanted to save your miserable skin," said Snape.  
  
"Why did you want to kill me?"  
  
"You were scurrying around at night near the forbidden room. Besides, you are an enemy of the Master, responsible for his current... condition," said Quirrell.  
  
"You've been working together all along?"  
  
"Not at first," said Snape. "I thought Adrian was just a greedy fool out to get the Stone for gold. On Halloween, I headed straight to the forbidden room to cut him off. I got bitten by that contemptible three-headed cur for my trouble."  
  
"But later?"  
  
"Later I found out that he was working for my Master, the Dark Lord. That was a different story. On the day I refereed your Quiddich match I met with him the Forbidden Forest," said Snape.  
  
"I was nervous that he was on to me when he asked me if I had found a way around Hagrid's dog," said Quirrell. He gave an odd high-pitched laugh.  
  
"I was offering my help," said Snape. "I told him he didn't want me as an enemy any more. Then I showed him the mark on my arm, the dark mark of the Death Eaters."  
  
"Then you said... how did you put it?" said Quirrell.  
  
"That if we joined forces we could accomplish much more than your bit of hocus-pocus," said Snape. "And that if you didn't act on my advice, I would suspect your loyalty to the Dark Lord."  
  
"A bit rude, but effective," said Quirrell. "I have proved my loyalty tonight. I will obtain what Lord Voldemort most desires: the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life!"  
  
"What happened to the Stone? Do you have it?" asked Harry.  
  
"Not yet," said Quirrell, "But we've figured out a way to get it. It's in the mirror of Erised, and it seems Dumbledore put a spell on it so that only one who wants to get the Stone without using it can get it out."  
  
"But you both want to use it," said Harry.  
  
"We've thought of someone who wouldn't. Professor Binns!" said Quirrell.  
  
"Yes, that dusty old ghost of a history professor would only want to see the Stone out of historical curiosity," said Snape.  
  
"We'll find him, spin him a story, and lead him down here to have a look at a famous historical artifact, the Philosopher's Stone. He'll be so pleased he won't notice a few rooms with odd contents along the way," said Quirrell.  
  
Again there was a high-pitched muffled laugh that seemed to come from under Quirrell' turban.  
  
"We'd love to chat with you more, but it happens that we're in a hurry and you're in our way -- so I'll just finish you off now!" Quirrell raised his wand to perform the death curse.  
  
Just then, the table with the potions on it came soaring into the room. Hermione had gotten into the potion room when the flames went down and Harry ran out. She had heard everything. Desperately trying to save Harry, she was doing the the largest Wingardium Leviosa she had ever attempted.  
  
She lost control of it before she could get it to land on their enemies, but it did hit Harry from behind and shoved him into Quirrell. Harry's face grazed Quirrell's face, which immediately started to smoke and burn. Harry's scar also burned with excruciating pain.  
  
They fell with Harry on top of Quirrell and the table on top of both. Quirrell's turban came loose and Harry caught a glimpse of a hideous face on the back of Quirrell's head.  
  
"Master, it burns!" cried Quirrell.  
  
"Then kill him, fool, and have done with it," said the high-pitched voice of Voldemort.  
  
Harry knew his only chance was to keep hurting Quirrell so he didn't have a chance to get off a killing spell. He clutched his enemy's robes with his bound hands, ignoring his own pain. He pressed the bare skin of his face into Quirrell's as hard as he could, and the fiery effect continued. Hermione ran up to help, but she came face to face with the scowling Snape and froze in panic.  
  
Suddenly Dumbledore arrived. He swept aside both Hermione and Snape, then pulled Harry and Quirrell apart. Quirrell was dead and Harry was unconscious.  
  
"In the nick of time," Dumbledore said. "Harry couldn't have stood much more. Thank you for sending me a warning."  
  
"But I didn't send you a warning," said Hermione.  
  
"I know," said Dumbledore.  
  
"I did," said Snape. 


	15. Dumbledore Explains

Chapter 15 Dumbledore Explains  
  
Something gold was glinting just above Harry. The Snitch! He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy.  
  
No, it wasn't the Snitch. It was a pair of glasses on the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore. Beside him was Hermione Granger.  
  
"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore.  
  
"Hi, Harry," said Hermione. "I'm glad you're better."  
  
Harry stared at them. Then he remembered. "Sir, the Stone! You must stop Quirrell and Snape from getting it!"  
  
"Calm yourself, my boy. You are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "The Stone has been destroyed. Please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have us thrown out. She was most displeased to be asked to admit two visitors at once, but since you both deserve an explanation, I'd much rather make one than two."  
  
Harry swallowed and looked around, realizing that he was in the hospital wing. Next to him was a table piled high with candy.  
  
"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore.  
  
"You've been in a coma for three days," said Hermione. "We were terribly worried about you."  
  
"What happened in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows about it. The involvement of Professor Snape, however, is known by none but myself, you, and Hermione," said Dumbledore.  
  
"He swore me to secrecy, Harry," said Hermione. "But I still don't know why."  
  
"Explanations will be forthcoming. I shall answer all your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg your forgiveness. I shall not, of course, lie."  
  
"You said the Stone was destroyed. What will happen to your friend Nicolas Flamel?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Ah, you know about him? Very thorough investigative work! Well, Nicolas and his wife have enough Elixir to set their affairs in order, and then they will die. I'm sure it seems incredible to you, but for Nicholas and Pernelle it will be like going to sleep after a very, very long day. To an organized mind, death is the next great adventure."  
  
"What did you mean about Snape?" asked Harry.  
  
"Professor Snape, Harry. He is a trusted agent of mine, once a follower of Voldemort..." said Dumbledore.  
  
"You said the name!" interrupted Hermione.  
  
"So I did, and I encourage you to do likewise. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. As I was saying, Snape encourages the view that he is still loyal to the dark side. There are still followers of Voldemort about, believe it or not, and Snape spies on them for me."  
  
"So, when he found out that Quirrell was working for Voldemort..." said Harry.  
  
"Yes, he naturally pretended to join forces with him, in order to learn Voldemort's condition and what he was up to. He played along even when you burst in, though he would have intervened to save your life."  
  
"Does he really hate me, or is that part of his spy act?" asked Harry.  
  
"Unfortunately, he really does. Your father did something Snape could never forgive."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He saved his life. Snape couldn't bear to be in your father's debt. I think that's why he worked so hard to protect you this year."  
  
"Professor Snape won't be able to be a spy any more, will he?" asked Hermione. "That is, if the spirit of Vo-Voldemort is still alive. You would have sent Professor Snape to Azkaban if what he did was for real. Since you aren't going to do that, V-Voldemort will know he's a spy."  
  
"Voldemort was a half-alive parasite on Quirrell, using part of his brain to store memories. If and when Voldemort comes back to life he won't have any clear memory of this time. If he has a vague feeling that Snape helped him somehow, that's so much the better. More likely, he'll have no specific memories of this period at all."  
  
"Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes, he's still out there, not human enough to die. Nevertheless, Harry and Hermione, you have delayed his return to power, and it will merely take someone else willing to fight a losing battle to delay him again. If he keeps being delayed over and over again, he may never return to power."  
  
"Why did Voldemort want to kill me in the first place?" asked Harry.  
  
"Ah, that's one of the questions I cannot answer now. Later, when you are older and ready, I will tell you."  
  
"Why did it burn Quirrell to touch me?"  
  
"Your mother died saving you. One thing that Voldemort cannot comprehend is love. Love that powerful left its mark in you. The greedy, hate-filled Quirrell could not touch a person marked by something so good."  
  
Hermione and Dumbledore looked at each other rather than Harry, giving him time to dry his eyes.  
  
Hermione said, "Lisa had a chess question for you. Ron told us the board was set up for the opening of the game when he and Harry got there. No pieces were moved or lost. So how did Quirrell get across?"  
  
"Snape told me it was a bit of a cheat. Neither of them is any good at chess, so Quirrell simply projected a force wall around the white pieces. White must move first within a time limit, or forfeit the game."  
  
Dumbledore moved over to the table with the candy. "Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. This golden-brown one looks like a nice toffee.... Alas! Ear wax!"  
  
"I'd better get out and let you rest, Harry," said Hermione. "One more thing. Next time something like this happens, do you think we could be allies instead of working against each other?"  
  
Harry realized there are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and facing a Dark Lord in a trap-filled dungeon is one of them.  
  
"More than allies," he said with a grin. "Friends."  
  
"Friends," agreed Hermione.  
  
THE END  
  
Postscript: The climax to the mystery of the Philosopher's Stone happened earlier in the school year than in the canonical history, since Snape and Quirrell "collaberated" to solve the traps. The points Harry, Ron, and Neville won for their adventures enabled Gryffindor to pull ahead of Slytherin and eventually win the House Cup. The Raven Mavens also won a large number of points for their house, so Ravenclaw came in second.  
  
Ron's brother Charlie was able to help find a home for Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback. Their previous bad experience with getting caught caused them to remember the Invisibility Cloak, so they were not caught after sending off Norbert; only Draco Malfoy served a detention for his part in trying to get them in trouble.  
  
The rest of the school year was relatively quiet and successful for the Gryffindor Guys (Harry, Ron, and Neville formed their own club) and the Raven Mavens. 


End file.
